Pure reason: Russian shot in debate over philosopher Kant

An argument in southern Russia over the philosopher Immanuel Kant, a bust of whom is seen here in Kaliningrad, led to one debater shooting the other with an air gun. (AFP / Getty Images)

MOSCOW — An argument in southern Russia over philosopher Immanuel Kant, the author of "Critique of Pure Reason," devolved into pandemonium when one debater shot the other with an air gun.

A police spokeswoman in Rostov-on Don, Viktoria Safarova, said two men in their 20s were discussing Kant as they stood in line to buy beer at a small store on Sunday. The discussion deteriorated into a fistfight, and one participant pulled out the small, nonlethal pistol and fired repeatedly.

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The victim was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening. Neither person was identified.

Russia's official RIA Novosti news agency said the shooter could face up to a decade in prison for intentional infliction of serious bodily harm. The agency observed: "That sentence would give him time to more thoroughly study the works of Kant, who contemplated a universal law of morality."